
20 May Review: “The Martian” by Andy Weir
I finally got around to reading “The Martian” by Andy Weir, partly because of all the hype and partly because I loved his follow-up, “Project Hail Mary.” I read it over a sunny weekend in the park, imagining I was on Mars with Mark Watney, trying to survive against all odds. Given how much I enjoyed Weir’s later work, I had high expectations for this one. However, I found myself a bit let down, which might sound like sacrilege given the book’s popularity.
What’s it about?
Imagine being left behind on a deserted island—except the island is Mars. That’s where we find Mark Watney, an astronaut who’s just been abandoned by his crew during a freak dust storm. They think he’s dead (spoiler: he’s not), so off they go, back to Earth, while he wakes up alone on the red planet with no way to tell them he’s alive. Oh, and he’s got limited food, oxygen, and water. No big deal, right?
Watney is no ordinary guy, though. He’s a botanist and mechanical engineer with a knack for problem-solving and a sense of humor sharper than a Mars rock. He starts keeping a log of his daily attempts at survival, which is how we get to follow his journey. First up, he realizes his biggest problem is food. If he can’t figure out how to grow something, he’s done for. Enter the now-infamous potato farm: Watney uses Martian soil, some leftover Earth dirt, fertilizer made from his own waste (yeah, gross but genius), and water he crafts by “cooking” hydrazine rocket fuel. Voilà—he’s a space farmer!
But surviving on Mars isn’t just about food. Watney also has to MacGyver his way through a series of disasters that would make anyone else curl up in a corner and cry. From patching up his space habitat (the “Hab”) after it springs a deadly air leak, to fixing solar panels and jury-rigging a communication system with an ancient Mars rover, he’s constantly racing against the odds. The science is gritty, the solutions are brilliant, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, NASA eventually figures out that Watney’s alive, thanks to some eagle-eyed satellite imagery. Cue the frantic scramble to figure out how to rescue him before his supplies run out—or he blows himself up with one of his experiments. The media gets wind of the story, and suddenly, Watney becomes the most famous man in the solar system. No pressure, right?
But wait—there’s more! Watney’s old crew, who are halfway back to Earth by now, discover he’s alive. Faced with the choice to risk their lives to go back for him or stick to their original mission, they choose the ultimate act of teamwork and sacrifice. Together with NASA, they hatch a daring plan that’s basically a space heist: using every ounce of physics, math, and courage to bring Watney home.
So, The Martian isn’t just a survival story—it’s a testament to human ingenuity and the power of teamwork. Watney is clever, NASA is determined, and his crew is brave. Together, they’re proof that even in the most isolated, hopeless conditions, we’ll fight to save one another. It’s a wild ride of technical challenges, laugh-out-loud moments, and nail-biting suspense.
What This Chick Thinks
Alright, let’s dive in. I wanted to love “The Martian” as much as everyone else seemed to, but I found myself struggling with its structure. Don’t get me wrong—Watney’s ingenuity and the science behind his survival are incredibly impressive and well-researched. Andy Weir definitely knows his stuff, and the technical details are fascinating. But, and it’s a big but, the book’s format didn’t quite work for me.
The narrative is heavily reliant on Watney’s logs, which means we get a lot of “tell” instead of “show.” This format can be great for conveying technical information, but it often felt repetitive and slowed down the pacing. There were times when I wanted to see more interactions and less internal monologue. The sections set on Earth and with the crew added some variety, but they were too few and far between to break up the monotony of Watney’s solo survival saga.
Plus, the way Weir tries to keep us readers up to speed by having Watney constantly reference past events felt clunky. It’s like every few pages, Watney’s log would throw in reminders of what he did before, almost as if Weir didn’t trust us to remember. It broke the immersion for me, making it feel more like a guidebook than a gripping survival tale. Every time Watney inserted a “Remember when…” it felt like a nudge from the author, pulling me out of the moment.
That said, the book shines in its portrayal of Watney’s resilience and resourcefulness. His humor is a highlight, though at times it felt a bit forced. The science is solid and fascinating, but the structure kept me from getting as emotionally invested as I wanted to be. In “Project Hail Mary,” Weir balanced humor, science, and narrative much better, making it a more engaging read for me.
Final Thoughts
“The Martian” is a solid, entertaining read with impressive scientific detail and a likable protagonist. However, the structure felt repetitive and lacking in emotional depth, which kept me from fully loving it. I’d give it a 6/10. It’s good, but not quite the gripping page-turner I hoped for.
Try it if you like:
- “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir – If you liked the science and humor in “The Martian” but want a more dynamic structure and deeper emotional connection, this is a fantastic follow-up.
- “Red Mars” by Kim Stanley Robinson – A hard science fiction epic about the colonization of Mars that dives deep into the technical, political, and social challenges of turning the Red Planet into a new home for humanity.
- “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress” by Robert A. Heinlein – A classic sci-fi novel that combines a gripping story with deep scientific and political insights, perfect for fans of hard science fiction.
Enjoy your reading!
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Posted at 20:51h, 10 January[…] The Martian by Andy Weir – For another science-packed adventure, but with way more humor and heart. Think MacGyver in space. […]